Shafaq News- Al-Anbar

The toxic Datura plant, commonly known as“Devil's Apple,” has reappeared in Al-Anbar province, western Iraq, prompting authorities to warn residents about its dangers to humans and animals.

Omar Abdulmunim Al-Mashhadani, head of the Media Division at Al-Anbar's Agriculture Directorate, urged residents on Monday not to handle the Datura and to report its locations so authorities can remove it safely. He noted that the directorate coordinates with local agencies and security forces whenever the species is detected.

Datura is an invasive species first recorded in Al-Anbar after 2003, likely spreading through the dispersal of its seeds, although the directorate has no precise information on how it first reached the province. Al-Mashhadani cautioned that limited public awareness remains one of the main challenges, as some residents and farmers mistake the toxic plant for an ornamental species because of its trumpet-shaped flowers, which range in color from white to purple and typically bloom in the evening.

He also recalled a 2019 poisoning case involving a young girl who consumed part of the plant. She was taken to hospital and remained under observation and treatment for 24 hours before recovering.

According to the environmental expert Ali Al-Fahd, tackling Datura requires more than field removal, calling for a comprehensive strategy combining eradication efforts with public awareness campaigns.

Speaking to Shafaq News, he pointed out that the plant produces large quantities of seeds that can remain dormant in the soil for long periods, increasing the likelihood of renewed outbreaks unless regular monitoring is carried out.

He called for intensified field surveys, particularly in abandoned land, roadsides, riverbanks, and agricultural areas, alongside broader awareness efforts targeting residents, farmers, and school students, while urging the public to report sightings immediately to enable authorities to respond quickly and contain its expansion.

The plant should not be dumped in farmland or waterways, where its seeds could spread to new areas, but uprooted before flowering and seed production and destroyed by burning or through approved environmental disposal methods, Al-Fahd added.

A similar outbreak was reported in Al-Anbar last year, affecting Al-Habbaniyah, Al-Baghdadi, Ramadi, and Haditha. Authorities launched campaigns to uproot and burn the invasive species after alerts of its presence in orchards, farmland, and along public roads.